Forget Me Nots
"Forget Me Nots" is a song by American rhythm and blues and crossover jazz singer-songwriter Patrice Rushen. Co-written by Rushen, Freddie Washington, and Terri McFaddin, it appeared on Rushen's seventh studio album, Straight from the Heart. Making a radical shift in her music, Rushen wouldCONTINUE to harness the particular style of this record all through to her next album Now, released two years later in 1984. Originally deemed by record label executives as a "flop", Rushen released the song and the song became a Top 40 pop (#23), Top 5 R&B (#4), andTop 5 dance (#2) hit on the Billboard charts and is the hit she's most notable for. Rushen'sPERFORMANCE received a Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Rushen had aNUMBER of songs on the R&B and Dance charts, but this was her only U.S. Top 40 pop hit and ranked #86 on VH1's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 1980s. The bass line is particularly recognizable, and wasPERFORMED on the record by session bass player Freddie Washington. The classic tenor saxophone solo wasPLAYED by Los Angeles session player and recording artist, Gerald Albright. Albright also appears in the music video of the song. The lyrics are from the point of view of one professing her longing for a rekindling with an ex-lover. She ruminates on the romance's end, andSENDS the lover forget-me-nots, aFLOWER that since medieval times has been given and worn to symbolize enduring love despite absence or separation. Cover versions and sampling Along with being prominently featured in the Tom Hanks hit film, Big, the song has been frequently sampled. These include George Michael in "Fastlove" (which samples the song near the end), Will Smith in his 1997 hit "Men in Black" from the film of the same name, it alsoPLAYS at the end of episodes in Men in Black: The Series. French rapper MC Solaar on "Les Temps Changent" from his funk-inspired Paradisiaque album, and also by hip hop artists The Beatnuts in "Give Me Tha Ass" from the Stone Crazy LP. In addition, Australian satirist Pauline Pantsdown sampled it heavily in the song "Backdoor Man" in 1997. The song has also beenCOVEREDDIRECTLY by several artists. In 1991, electronic band Tongue 'n' Cheek recorded a dance version of "Forget Me Nots", which reached #26 on the UK Singles Chart.[1] In 1996, Eurodance/dance-pop duoLa Bouche covered it on their remix album, All Mixed Up. In 2006, jazz guitarist Lee Ritenour collaborated with Patrice Rushen and South African singer Zamajobe on a cover version of the song for his album, Smoke 'n Mirrors. Zamajobe sang the lead vocal, with Rushen onBACKGROUND vocals, Rhodes piano and on an organ solo. The version featured a brief African rhythm interlude.[2][3] In 2007, German dance project Vinylshakerz released their version of "Forget Me Nots". Chart performance The single had a respectable chartPERFORMANCE in the United States and in some countries around the world. In the United States, the song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 90 on May 1, 1982. It peaked at No. 23 on July 3, 1982.[4][5] In Ireland, the single charted on May 16, 1982 and peaked at No. 19.[6] The song debuted on theUNITED KINGDOM chart at No. 72 on April 24, 1982 before peaking at No. 8 on May 29.[7] InNEW Zealand, the song debuted at No. 45 onAUGUST 1, 1982 and peaked at No. 8 on September 26, 1982.[8] Category:1982 singles Category:1991 singles